How safe do you feel in your car? Knowing your tires and
maintaining them properly is one of the best things you can do for yourself and
anyone who rides with you.

No matter what tires you have on your car, either summer or
snow, you should always check your tire pressure. The proper inflation for your
tires is written on the sidewall and it is important that the pressure is
checked regularly. Tires with low pressure will reduce your mileage, reduce the
life of your tires, slowly destroy the sidewall of your tires and increase the
chance of a blowout when you try to steer out of the way of danger quickly or
stop suddenly.

Tires lose about 1 psi for every 5 deg C drop in temperature.
Low tire pressure will also decrease the tires ability to perform in winter
conditions. The tread on today's tires are designed with computer technology and
manufactured to perform optimally at the correct pressure.

The most popular choice for tires in general are all season
radials. People enjoy the advantage of buying one set of tires and don't have to
contend with the seasonal changing of summer and winter tires. If you find that
winter driving is still rather precarious at times, you should consider getting
a set of snow tires.

Many people have never had a set of snow tires and don't
realize how much better grip they give your vehicle on the road over snow and
ice. Snow tires are still your best bet for winter road safety.

Of course, the best gripping tires are still studded tires.
Hardly used anymore, except by very few people, studded tires are legal on the
road usually between November and April. If you do use them wait until winter
has started and the snow and ice are on the ground before putting them on your
car. Using studded tires during dry conditions will erode your studs and make
the tires more of a hazard than a benefit. The road restrictions on studded
tires are also in place to help protect the highways because the studs on tires
do chew up the roads a bit.

The worst tires you can have on your vehicle during the
winter are wide, high performance tires. For your safety, and the safety of
others, replace them immediately.